We like to think humans are the most important species on the planet but nature doesn’t need us, we need nature.
A healthy ecosystem provides us with clean air, water, and food.
But in 45 years we have killed 60% of earth’s wildlife (Source: WWF) and somewhere between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants on the earth needing help with pollination (Source: Pollinator Partnership).
Last year was catastrophic for tropical forests, with around 39 million acres of trees destroyed.
When forests are cleared to make room for plantations, it wipes out critical habitat for endangered species such as orangutans, rhinos, elephants, and tigers. It also contributes to climate change and makes survival harder and harder for pollinator insects such as the monarch butterfly.
So what can each of us do to protect nature?
1. Check product labels to avoid palm oil which is often sourced unsustainably from cleared forests. Last month Greenpeace revealed how palm oil suppliers for food giant Mondelez – who make Cadbury’s chocolate bars, Oreo cookies, and Ritz crackers – have destroyed almost 25,000 hectares of orangutan habitat in Indonesia in just two years.
2. Use deforestationfreefunds.org to find out what hidden investments you have in the palm oil industry.
3. Download the ‘Sustainable Palm Oil Shopping’ app by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It allows you to scan food product bar codes to see if they are ‘orangutan friendly’.
4. Eating more plant-based foods helps to reduce the number of trees cleared for agriculture. Cutting back on beef will also help lower methane emissions from cattle – another major factor in climate change.
5. Follow the supply chain for your purchases. Aim to buy sustainably-sourced furniture or swap your paper towels for 100% recycled paper or a Wet-it Cloth.
😘